Key holder



., RGER KEY HOLDER Sept. 29, 1942.

Filed March 4, 1940 aww Patented Sept. 29, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE l KEY HOLDER Y Raymond Reger, Anderson, Ind.

Application March 4, 1940, Serial No. 322,084

' 1 claim. (o1. 15o-4o) This invention relates to a key-container and Y support arrangement.

The chief object of this invention is to provide means for segregating keys which are used more often than other keys and those which are not utilized most frequently are retained in a case arrangement and so supported therein that anyone of said least useable keys may be readily exposed for utilization and either of the two most useable keys not in use being also retained in inoperative position by the case construction and to provide a container having a capacity for a relatively large number of keys.

The chief feature of the invention consists in providing a case arrangement and associating therewith an elongated flexible element, portions of which extend through opposite-sides of the container and on the ends thereof are mounted the two keys most frequently used and on the intermediate container enclosed portion of said elongated element, is mounted a large number of less frequently used keys, the container arrangement preferably being of such type that it may be completely closed when desired or partially closed or may be so arranged that when substantially closed one of the lesser utilized keys may be exposed for utilization and further characterized by a pocket formation on opposite sides of the container for receiving the most frequently utilized keys.

While in the present invention there is illustrated but a single key mounted on the container exposed end of the chain or like support, the same being the flexible element before mentioned, it is to be understood that it is possible and quite frequently desirable to mount two keys in place of one, as, for example, on one end of such flexible element there might be mounted the ignition key and the door or spare tire or luggage compartment key, since automotive equipment today is usually provided with two different keys. On the opposite end of the flexible element, there would be mounted the house key and the office key or the house key and the garage key. Y

Other objects and features of the invention will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

The full nature'of the invention will be understood from'the accompanying drawing and the following description and claim:

In the drawing Fig. 1 is an elevational view looking at the interior of the container with the lesser utilized keys shown therein. l

Fig. 2 is :a side elevation of one form of the invention showing the parts in noneexposed relation as the same would be carried normally.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the container structure shown in Fig. 2, the keys and key retaining means being omitted therefrom for clearance.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and of a modied form of the invention wherein the external side pocket addition is omitted, although the function thereof is retained.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 5 5 of Fig, 4 and in the direction of the arrows and is similar to Fig. 3 in thatthe keys and flexible key support are omitted.

Fig. 6 is a view similar t0 Figs. 3 and 5 and of a lined form of the. invention, the pocket arrangement being provided between'the container wall and the lining.

Fig. y7 is -a sideelevational view similar to Figs. 2 and 4 and of a further modified form of the invention illustrating a modified form of lock or closure arrangementvfor the container.

In the drawing the numeral` lrindicates two side portions which are joined together as at I I along a back edge and these portions may be of leather, imitation leather, light -linoleum, oil cloth or other fabric material suitable for key carrying container purposes. In each of the side portions I0 and near the top thereof, there is provided an opening I2 and herein the same is defined by a metallic eyelet arrangement I3 which forms a smooth bearing to permit ready passage to and fro therethrough of a flexible chain I4.

This flexible chain I4 is of considerable length and each end thereof, if of single strand type, l

terminates in a transversely elongated anchor member 25. The diameter of said anchor member and the adjacent chain length must be such that the chain and the anchor member may be passed through the opening I5 in the head portion I6 of the key having the lock operating portion I'l, as well as eyelet I3.

Suitable means is provided to detachably connect the two side portions together to form a container arrangement. In Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, the container is completely closed.

Suitably secured to each side portion I is a strip of material 23, the same being sewed in this instance as at 24 to the side portion and forming an external pocket therewith, the mouth of which is at the upper end and the bottom of which is at the lower end of the strip and the bottom is of open character. The key, or keys, permanently mounted externally of the container and at one or either end of the elongated exible element, is or are adapted to be positioned in said side pocket or pockets, and be retained therein, as shown in Fig. 2, for conventional carrying purposes.

The elongated exible element I4 between the eyelets I3 is adapted to pass through the openings I5 in the head portions of a plurality of keys` and thus lock said keys to the container. The aperture in the eyelet, of course, must be of sufficient size to permit the passage of the locking bar 25 and chain I4.

Since these container enclosed keys are .thus secured to the construction by other than a rigid connection, they will readily accommodate themselves to the interior volume of the container and as illustrated, a relatively large number of keys may be carried in this manner.

The invention is shown substantially full size in the drawing and while but six keys are shown as of the little-used type, the container is adapted to support approximately a dozen little-used type keys.

It will be quite apparent that either one of the most frequently used keys can be removed from its pocket arrangement and utilized, the other external key remaining in its pocket and all of the container-included keys being fully retained in the container and concealed thereby.

The surplus length of chain required for this invention is such that the container is then positioned at a substantial distance from the key when removed from its pocket for utilization.

It also will be apparent that the pocket forming member 23 serves as a bearing plate that will ride on the metal dash of an automobile when the external key is utilized for ignition control purposes, thus preventing marring of the dash by the container construction.

Whenever it is desired to utilize a lesser-used key, the end key, orl keys, is positioned in its or the respective pocket, the finger piece 22 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1 or in that direction a suicient amount to open the container and then the selected key is exposed upwardly. The length of chain, therefore, required is double the length required to permit that selected key to be positioned externally and yet at the same time permit vided in lieu thereof a transverse slit |23 in the side portions IIIJ so that the external key may have its lock operable portion nested within the container while its head portion is exposed externally of the same, as illustrated.

In Fig. 6 there is illustrated a still further modified form of the invention and herein numerals of the 200 series indicate like or similar parts. This form of the invention is intermediate the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 in that the side wall 2I0 is apertured as at 223 and there is provided herein a lining arrangement 200 for the entire container and the stitching 224 between the side portion 2IIJ and the lining 200 forms the internal pocket, entrance to which is had through the'slit portion 223 in .the side portion 2 I0. In all other respects, the invention herein illustrated is substantially the same as that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive.

Another and simple form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 7, and herein numerals of the 300 series indicate like or comparable parts. The side portions 3I0 are herein shown stitched together as indicated at 3| I, the same terminating at 3| la and 3IIb leaving the two side portions free between the points 3l Ia and 3I Ib. The means for securing the aforesaid in closed relation includes a conventional glove fastener or snap construction of which one portion 320 is carried by one side portion SIG and the receiving and head portion 32| is carried by the other side portion. This snap fastener, it will be understood, may be readily associated and disassociated for locking and exposing the container interior so that the keys may be retained in the container or the selected infrequently used key may be positioned exteriorly of the container, as previously described.

In this form of the invention, the external side pocket arrangement also is illustrated. If desired, this may be omitted and the slit arrangement shown at |23 in Fig. 4 may be utilized in lieu thereof.

While the foregoing description has repeatedly referred to a single flexible element extending through opposite sides of the container, it is quite obvious that one end may be anchored to one side of the container, either internally or externally, as desired, and the other end extend through the opposite side of the container.

Furthermore, while a single strand chain has been illustrated and has a bar at each end, it is Yquite obvious that an elongated double chain of the container to be closed. No view illustrates this position but it is to be understood the key may be positioned immediately to the left of and slightly below the locking arrangement shown in the upper left hand portion of Fig 2. When the key has served its purpose, the container is opened, the key replaced, the container closed andthe entire arrangement replaced in the handthe external pockets are omitted and there is proendless character may be employed and the two external key head portions serve as locking bar portions.

Also, the invention contemplates utilizing a chain which is of ball and link sequence common to the key retention art and same when employed would have one run pass through all keys and both sides of the container and be joined at its ends by the double ball receiving clip conventional to such key chains. The clip may be positioned internally or externally of the container.

All of the aforesaid modifications are so self evident that, having illustrated and described the simplest of the invention, it is believed unnecessary to illustrate these modied or otherwise further describe same.

Furthermore, if desired, this container may be lined, as illustrated in Fig. 6, and when lined, it may have the external pocket arrangement shown in Fig. '7 applied thereto or the side portion 3I0 may be slit in the manner illustrated at 223 in Fig. 6, and the pocket arrangement stitched as indicated at 224 thereby providing an interior pocket between the lining and the side portion.

In view of the previous disclosures exemplifying these modifications as applied to a zipper type container, additional disclosures by way of drawings of these last mentioned modifications as applied to a glove fastener or snap fastener type of container are omitted since it is obvious to one skilled in the art that a snap or glove fastener arrangement may be applied to the modication shown in Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, of the zipper type.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawing and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claim.

The invention claimed is:

A key holder and support arrangement including in combination a container having substantially two registering at sides, permanently connected together for a portion of their registering peripheries, manually actuable means arranged to connect the sides together to operatively close the unconnected peripheral portion of the container, and registering eyelets in said sides in juxtaposition to the last mentioned peripheral portion of the container, an open mouth pocket on each side and external thereof, the mouth of each pocket being juxtapositioned to the eyelet of that pocket supporting side, said pockets each being adapted for frequently used key reception, and flexible means of chain and like character connected to each pocket key and extending from eyelet to eyelet and through the same and including an intermediate container included portion of appreciable length for infrequently used key mounting retention within the 4container when closed, and capable of container removal Without separation therefrom and the flexible means when the manually actuatable means does not close the container, the several keys each being strung upon the flexible means.

RAYMOND REGER. 

